Cohabitation of three religions
Montenegro is a multi-faith country where the three main religions live together in harmony. The predominant religion is Orthodox, followed by Islam and Catholicism. Traditionally, it is estimated that about 78% of Montenegrins are Orthodox, 19% are Muslims and 3% are Catholics.
For historical reasons, the majority of Catholics are found on the coast, while the Orthodox are mainly in the north. The majority of Montenegrin Muslims are Sunnis. They are mainly found near the Albanian border and in the Sandzjak area, the historic region in the north of the country that has been divided between Serbia and Montenegro since 1913.
Orthodoxy (Orthodox Christianity) is the second largest Christian denomination in the world after the Roman Catholic Church. It is estimated that there are approximately 200 million baptized people in the world. It is organized into numerous territorial churches which together form the "Orthodox Church". Separated from the Roman Catholic Church since the Great Eastern Schism (1054), this Orthodox Church is composed of fourteen autocephalous (completely independent) churches, twelve autonomous churches and seven non-canonical churches. In Montenegro, the majority of the Orthodox depend on the Serbian Orthodox Church (founded in 1219), for which Montenegro is only one of its many metropolises. For years, and even more so since the country's independence, the religious life of the country has been marked by the struggle between this Serbian Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Church of Montenegro, which is self-proclaimed autocephalous (i.e., no longer dependent on the church of another country) but not recognized by the other churches, unlike the Serbian Church. Restored in the 1990s as a political as well as a spiritual project, this Orthodox Church of Montenegro bases its claim to autocephaly on the autonomy it enjoyed during the Turkish era when Montenegro, led by its prince-bishops, resisted alone against the Ottoman threat. Feeling robbed by the Proserbian Orthodox Church, which legally owns the country's Orthodox churches, it naturally declared itself in favour of the country's independence.
Conflict between the Montenegrin and Serbian churches
A conflict between the Montenegrin Autocephalous Orthodox Church (CPC) and the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) has been going on since 1990, when the Montenegrin Church re-emerged after seventy years of non-existence - it had disappeared with the Montenegrin state in 1921. The reason for this is the fierce struggle over the inheritance of the rights of the Orthodox community, including movable and landed property. Amfilohije Radović, Metropolitan of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro, opposes Metropolitan Mihailo, head of the Montenegrin Orthodox Church. At present, only 50 of Montenegro's 750 Orthodox churches have reportedly joined the Montenegrin Autocephalous Church.
The Montenegrin Orthodox Church is not currently recognized by any Orthodox Church in the world. In fact, the Democratic Socialist Party (DPS), the political force pushing Montenegro toward independence, was once a close ally of Metropolitan Amfilohije, head of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro. But Milo Djukanović's DPS opted in 2006 for the Church of Montenegro, and the Serbian Orthodox Church sees the revival of its Montenegrin counterpart as a direct threat against its interests. The Montenegrin Orthodox Church appeals to the state for the restoration of its rights, in the face of the alleged usurpation of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
Montenegro: land of monasteries
Montenegro has about twenty monasteries to visit, of which the most famous is by far the one of Ostrog. It is undoubtedly the highest place of pilgrimage of the Orthodox Christians in the Balkans. In this high place of spirituality, women should bring a thin vest or a shawl to cover their shoulders before entering, even if it is hot. It is the equivalent of Lourdes in France, and many tourists come from all over the world to admire this beauty which dates from the 17th century. Dedicated to the saint Vasilije Ostroški, the relics of his bones are kept in a chapel always in the presence of a monk. It is said that the body of the saint was found intact in the heights of these mountains seven years after his death, which is why he is said to have healing and miracle-working powers. The faithful of all religious confessions have been tempted by this unique mystical and spiritual experience. After the traditional hand kissing to the monk, a powerful moment of emotion is to be expected at the vision of St. Basil of Ostrog.
Also worth mentioning is the Cetinje Monastery, erected in the 18th century on the ruins of the Crnojević Monastery and destroyed by the Turks in 1692, which is the historical center of Montenegrin spirituality. Morača Monastery, which is one of the oldest in the country, as it was built in 1252, is located between Podgorica and Kolašin, 300 m above sea level on the banks of the Morača River. These two monasteries are also important in terms of the country's religious heritage.
The prayer of the heart, an orthodox prayer with wine
The prayer of the heart is a prayer used in the Eastern Orthodox tradition that aims to help believers focus on their relationship with God and reach a state of inner peace. Although the prayer itself is not directly associated with wine, there is a practice related to Orthodox communion that involves wine and can help believers grow closer to God. This practice is often accompanied by the recitation of the heart prayer.
The heart prayer is a simple prayer that consists of a short phrase that is repeated several times. It can be recited mentally or in a low voice. The prayer often takes the form, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." In Greek: Κυριε Ιησου Χριστε Υιε του Θεου ελεισον με τον αμαρτωλον.
"Kurie ièsou hristé uié tou théou éléisson me ton amartolon." In Serbian: Господе Исусе Христе, Сине Божији, помилуј ме грешног. "Gospodé issoussé hristé, siné bojoyi, pomiluï me grechnog."
Wine symbolizes the blood of Jesus Christ, which is considered the ultimate offering of God to humanity. By drinking the wine, Orthodox believers remember this offering and renew their commitment to God.
The sacrament of the Eucharist is central to the Christian faith. In both Catholicism and Orthodoxy, communion is seen as a participation in the life of Christ. However, there is a significant difference between these two faiths in the way this sacrament is administered.
In Catholicism, communion is administered in one form only, namely the consecrated bread, which is considered the body of Christ. This practice is known as "one-species communion. Thus, the Catholic faithful do not receive the consecrated wine during Mass, although the priest drinks it during the celebration.
In Orthodoxy, communion is administered under both species, that is, both the consecrated bread and wine. This practice is known as "communion under the two species". The Orthodox faithful thus receive both consecrated bread and wine during Mass.
The difference between these two practices is largely due to theological and historical differences between Catholicism and Orthodoxy. Catholics believe that communion under one species is sufficient to receive God's grace, while the Orthodox believe that communion under both species is essential for full participation in the life of Christ. It should be noted that some Eastern Catholic Churches practice communion under both species, just as some Orthodox Churches practice communion under one species in certain circumstances.
In Orthodoxy, only trustworthy persons, duly authorized, may drink the wine and receive communion under both species. This phrase refers to the practices of communion in the Orthodox Church. In this religious tradition, it is communicated that only priests and members of the Church who are considered trustworthy and duly authorized may drink the wine and receive the host at Mass.
In Orthodoxy, communion is considered a sacrament, which must be respected and protected. For this reason, priests and members of the Church are carefully chosen after undergoing a rigorous training and selection process. This ensures that those who receive communion do so in an appropriate and respectful manner.
Only those who are trustworthy and qualified may receive communion under both species. We have the wine and the host. The host, referring to the Latin root, is simply the victim sacrificed to God. The wine, therefore, allows one to connect with God. This means that communion is not seen as a simple religious ceremony, but as a moment of deep spiritual connection with God.
A country rich in history and legends
The legend of the birth of the city of Podgorica. According to legend, the city of Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro, was founded by the Serbian king Nemanja in the 12th century. He is said to have ordered the construction of a bridge over the Morača River and said "Pod gorica" (under the mountain) to refer to the place where the bridge was built. The name of the town is therefore derived from this phrase.
The legend of Lake Skadar. Lake Skadar is the largest lake in the Balkans and is considered a natural gem of Montenegro. According to the legend, the lake was created from the tears of fairies who mourned the disappearance of their magical country. Their kingdom would have been submerged by the waters during a great flood.
The legend of the Battle of Krusi. The Battle of Krusi is considered one of the most important events in the history of Montenegro. The legend says that in 1796, Montenegrin troops defeated the Ottoman army in Krusi, thanks to the intervention of the Virgin Mary, who caused an avalanche to fall on the Ottomans.
